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This One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo is the perfect winter dinner…quick, easy, hearty, and delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken breasts in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce. Cooked together with orzo pasta for a complete dinner made in just ONE skillet. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next holiday dinner. You can’t go wrong with this warming skillet dinner.
It’s hard to believe that we’re entering the second week of December and are only just two and half weeks out from Christmas…and only three and half weeks from the New Year. Where is the time going!?
As I type this up I’m getting ready to take-off for NYC. By the time you all read this, I will be in the city. I have to say, I’m really excited for this trip, but equally excited to return home on Thursday, and finally be HOME for the remainder of the year. I know many of you travel for work weekly, but as you all know, I’m such a homebody at heart. So I’m excited to have some time to enjoy the remainder of December with my family. Anyone else in the same mindset?
With that in mind, I’m always looking for the easiest recipes this time of year. The days are incredibly short and things are busy between work and holiday prep. Quick and simple dinners that everyone at the dinner table will eat are what I strive to create.
Enter this skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo.
To make this all-in-one dinner…
Start with a skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven works great. You’ll want to season the chicken up with a few dried herbs and spices…oregano, paprika, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Then sear the chicken until it’s golden.
PS. if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, check out the current Staub giveaway we’re hosting on Instagram!
Next up, remove the chicken from the skillet, add a bit of butter, plus some shallots, garlic, and orzo. I love toasting the dry orzo pasta in butter for additional flavor. The butter browns and the orzo takes on a delicious nutty flavor.
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Moving along, add a splash of white wine. Then add pretty much everything else. Cream, a little parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and of course sun-dried tomatoes. Slide the chicken right into the sauce, then transfer the whole skillet right to the oven. Bake for about ten to fifteen minutes…
And then? Dinner is done. Yes, this is that SIMPLE.
So how does it taste?
I know simple skillet dinners can get a bad rap for being boring, but this is anything but boring. The sauce is creamy, hinted with lemon, garlic, and just a touch buttery too. The orzo is perfectly cooked and has a little nutty flavor.
And the chicken has a wonderful herbed flavor with a bit of heat from the crushed red pepper. It’s everything you’d expect out of a multi-step recipe, but made all in one skillet…and all SO GOOD.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete dinner all-in-one. You have your protein, your carbs, and even your vegetables. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for holiday dinners with friends and family. I’ll be remaking this as soon as I get home. My family members are slowly starting to make their way back to Colorado for Christmas, so this is going to be on repeat.
Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas…check out these.
If you make this one skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- juice of 1 lemon
- fresh rosemary, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the same skillet, add the butter and shallot, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo, cooking until lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cook 3-5 minutes, then add the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring until the spinach has wilted. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.4. Serve the chicken topped with lemon juice and rosemary, if desired.
This recipe is perfection. We LOVE it. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal but it packs so much flavor. YUM. We’ve always used less cream, extra spinach and a bit more water since we are using less cream. Thank you for creating this.
Hey Camille,
Happy Wednesday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was tasty! xx
I made this last night and it was to die for!! Delicious and really easy! Wish I could add a picture to show you. Yum!!
The best part was I had come home from vacation and found everything I needed already in my cupboards so no need to run to the store.
Hey Tina,
Happy Wednesday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was tasty! xx
Many of your recipes are absolutely delicious and have become regulars on our table 😉
But this one is definitely my favourite! Thanks for sharing them all, Tieghan! Lots of love from Germany! Astrid
Thanks so much for making so many recipes Astrid!! I love to hear that this one is a fave:) xT
This recipe has fast become my favorite!! Love all the flavors 🙂 I doubled the recipe the other night and had leftovers for a couple day, best decision ever!
Hey Niki,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your comment, I love to hear it was a hit! 😊
Hey there! I’ve made this recipe many times but this time do not have cream. Do you think coconut milk would work for this? Thanks!
Hey Braylee,
Yes, you can use coconut milk, you might just get some flavors you aren’t typically used to! I hope this helps! xx
I can’t stop thinking about this dish! Absolutely delish, brought leftovers to work the next day and several people asked for the recipe immediately. This will definitely be a new staple. Thank you Tieghan!
Hi Brianna,
Happy Monday!!🌞 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Delicious. Had to do a few subs but the flavor combo is spot on.
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Monday!!🌞 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Could jasmine rice be used in place of orzo? It’s hard to find where I live!😑
Hi Kimberly,
The jasmine rice is not going to cook the same as the orzo, Arborio rice is going to be your best option here! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I am so thankful I found you and took a chance with making one of your recipes. You never know sometimes and I’ve wasted a lot of time and money in the kitchen with recipes that end up in the trash.
This meal was easy and delicious! I’m excited to make more of your recipes in the future. Thank you so much for sharing. ♥️
Hey Sarah,
Happy Sunday!!🍀 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your comment! xT
This recipe was excellent, so Creamy and delicious. The only change I made was to use chicken broth instead of water for the liquid.
Hi Sharron,
Happy Sunday!!🍀 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your comment! xT
Made this for dinner yesterday & it was the perfect comfort food for a blustery day. Posted a pic on my Instagram & many said it was their fav comfort food & go-to recipe. Thank you Tieghan for another incredible dish.
Hi Natalie,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have a great weekend! xx
Are all your recipes just amazing!? Great flavor combos in this dish! Made it last night and we both went back for seconds! Thanks again for sharing your gift of cooking with the world!
Hi Katie,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have a great weekend! Thanks so much for your kind message! ❤️ xx
Hi Tieghan. I love your recipes and just bought your latest cookbook which is my new favorite! This recipe looks good. Will chicken breast be as good as thighs? Should i pound the breasts or cut in smaller pieces? Also can i substitute half and half for cream? Or maybe mix half cream with half and half? Trying to make it a little lighter.
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for ordering the cookbook, I hope you love it!! You can use chicken breasts or thighs, both work well here and no need to pound the chicken. Half and half will be just fine for you to use! Please let me know if you have any other questions:) xx
Absolutely love this recipe! So flavorful.
Do you think this would freeze well? Any recs on how to do so? I’m meal prepping before baby #2 arrives later this month 🙂
Hey Nicole,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! I don’t think this would be the best dish to freeze, but I do have a great freezer friendly section that you might find helpful:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/category/recipes/type-of-meal/freezer-friendly/
xT
A weekly staple in my house! Absolutely delicious and so flavorful. I use dry vermouth to deglaze the pan and chicken broth in place of the water.
Hey Liz,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT